Burning Ambitions

*Black and Master Gos head down the mountain to hunt deer meat. Black finds that snow deer are plentiful and red deer are honored. He and Goss disagree about which type of deer to hunt. Each tries to convince the other over which deer to hunt.

Black was forced to shoot at snow deer. And even though he tried to miss, Black kills the deer. Gos almost uses another name on Black, but covers himself (Jim?).

Jade… under a vow of silence.. over hears some soldiers preparing to march on Aerious’ group. The Holy Observers had been sent.

Among that group, Jim is trying to convince Aerious to march on the Aerie now. During that conversation, Leif notices a pair of hawks spying on them. Aerious is CONVINCED they are like proverbial crystal balls and that the Aerie knows their plans. He sends Sir Flaps-a-lot after the reporting hawk.* [here is where to recording begins again]. Sir brings the hawk back and we notice a LOT of raptors are now gone.

Guan is ready to go and the army prepares to march.

Black chats with Gos on the way back to the Aerie. Gos admits he is from Pulder but Black cannot get anything more from the quiet man. They return to bustling activity as the Pilgrimers are breaking camp. Black goes right to Jade who maintains her vow of silence. Black “circles” up a young Pulder novitiate. He FAILS and is confronted by the man to whom he promised a pie.

Black finds out what is going on from that man and then slips out of the Aerie to head down the mountain. He stumbles across a heard of snow deer and snuggles up with them. It is there that he is found by Leif, Aerious and JIm.

Jade receives her Blessing and volunteers to help the Pilgrimers.

Horns sound! The Pilgrim army is here. A woman rides out under a flag of truce. It is Jade. She wants them to confer with the Abbess. Aerious, Jim, Black and Leif agree. A pavilion is set up. Jim sees the Abbess. She is flanked by two knights (one with only one eye…Captain Juda) with Jade nearby. Juda is sent away.

Jim begins to sweat upon hearing the Abbess speak. Black attempts to comfort Jim who all but collapses into a chair. The talking begins. The Abbess says the Tome must be destroyed. Leif is appalled and denies that will happen. The Abbess and Jim speak privately. She is his mother and admits to sending him away. She gives him Malcolm’s knife and asks him to destroy the book. Jim asks Aerious to trust him and give him the book. Aerious and Jim see the dagger. Aerious denies him the book. But Jim convinces him otherwise.. with Leif and Black’s help. Jim kills his mother. Jade tries to tackle him but can’t catch up to him. The Aveist group escapes.

PArt 2 of Episode 22

Two Passes, An Aerie and and Avalanche

Aerious does his best to get to the pass as quickly as possible. They get to the pass and Aerious begins to pray for and avalanche to block the pass. The low pass is now blocked with Aerious and Jim now meeting up with Guan’s army.

Leif makes it to the Aerie and is unseen. Without seeing Jim and Aerious, he decides to head down the mountain to find the 88+. But before they leave, Leif sneaks up to the enclave. He doesn’t get the best vantage, but manages to discern: 300 Pilgrimers with make shift tents while the hostel is relatively empty. Maybe 50 clergy and the cave are occupied but no telling how many. The Pilgrimers are disturbed and probably heading to Eagle Down.

Meanwhile, Black, Jade and Tom arrive at the Aerie. Black thinks he shouldn’t have to scrape bird poop so he tries to convince a higher up that PIE is a good trade. He eventually squirrels his way into a chat with the Abbess.

Jade wants to speak with the Abbess as well. Jade identifies herself as from Pulder and draws attention to herself. The Abbess herself speaks to Jade who finds her familiar but JUST CAN’T PLACEHER (Todd believes the Abbess is his character’s Mom).

Meanwhile, back down the mountain, Guan asks for Aveist teaching from Aerious who all but anoints Guan as the secular leader of the Aveists. As that was happening, Aerious felt a miracle descending upon someone at the Guard house.

While heading down the mountain, Leif spots a snow deer. He shoots it, cleans it, and feeds it to Maleo and the Three. Unfortunately, he fails to convince the Three of the necessity and they now believe him to be SERPENTTOUCHED.

Leif, Maleo and the Three are found by Jim and the rest. Leif and Jim hug.

Maleo attacks Aerious. Jim and Leif try to protect Aerious. Aerious ducks past Jim but cannot get past Leif. Leif disarms Maleo and Aerious then tries to drive out the Serpent. But he fails.

Where are we going?

Tom, Black and Jade are sent to the Aerie for a year’s penance. Leif is treking through the woods with the Pulder 3 and Maleo who showed up saying some nonsense about following the “ring.” Leif is oblivious to that reference and thinks Maleo would be an asset in helping him through the forest.

Meanwhile, Jim and Aerious argue tactics in the face of a scouting party. Aerious fails when calling on the Great wing to convert them. Jim fails to capture them. A quick fight occurs which Jim also fails allowing the scouts to get away.

Vines talks to Jade and says the book is Serpent touched. Jade tells him Aerious has the book.

Trial of the Mayor

During the night, Leif sneaks about town to find the three converts. He finds them in the stocks… guarded by a Grim. Leif has a bit of trouble at first but eventually whacks the guy in the head. Unfortunately, the keys weren’t on the guard. Leif had to hack at the lock to get them free. But he DID IT!

Unfortunately, the noise alerted the Grims. Leif managed to sneak the three out of town and then back into town. He managed to get back to his shack just before it was searched for the missing converts. Just as they leave, Leif hears one mention to another “We should just kill the boy. It would be easier.” Knowing he will get no sleep, Leif follows the two to find out what they are talking about.

On the road to the Aerie, Areious prays for information on Grims ahead. He gets only silence. A scout is sent out. He sees about 100 Grims on their path coming behind them. Phillip suggests spreading out to try and make their movements less noticeable. Jim and Aerious make plans to attack the outriders. They inform Guan who makes some points.

It’s the night when Aerious had his fit. Tom headed up to bed and slept soundly. During the night he dreams. He sees the place where the king once sat and the Dukes now rule. He is offered power by a shadow cloaked being in the dream.

There is “war” council at dinner the next evening. Several ideas are put forth and several try to convince Elaina to set aside land for a snow deer preserve. Things get out of hand.

Eventually, Aerious and his men leave to go through the pass with Guan in return for Elaina’s promise to set aside land for a snow deer preserve when she become Duchess.

The following day, Tom Merton, accompanied by Jade, Black, and Leif, returns to Pulder to face his accusers.

The Justicar’s arrival, and Tom’s trial, are planned for the next day.

The Temptation of Aerious

Late at night and Aerious has tended Leif’s wounds… but not well. Aerious mutters to himself then falls over with a seizure. Jade tries to grab the book. Leif tries to interfere but is dodged. Jim is there and beats Jade to the tome. He hands it over to Lief who protects it.

Black tries to help Aerious with a poultice. Jim doesn’t want him to prevents Black from “helping.” Aerious’ trembling subside.

Aerious’ had been thinking on why his prayers were having difficulty. He sees three candle lights and smells salt air. He is in a bar.. a cloaked figure is near… cloaked in living darkness. He speaks, “Glad to see you here.”

Aerious: Why am I here?

Cloak: You called me. Those who call on the power to often some times find it.

Aerious sees Lord Tim… complete with wounds. They argue. Aerious now sees three forms sleeping on a luxurious bed. Help Jade?

Aerious sees the rise of the Strong Tree. White tents and soldiers everywhere. You have so many enemies.

Aerious sees a figure born on a litter. A man beaten and with one eye missing is there.

BAck in the tavern. Your word will spread to all corners of the world.

Jim and Lief hear Aerious speak as he wakens. He tells of his vision and Lief realizes that blinded man is the Grim he and Jim fought. Aerious latches on to the thought of the ring and names Lief Serpent-bane. He names Jim Protector of the Tome.

Leif and Aeious then argue over Leif giving up the Duchy. IN the end, Aerious is just too persuasive and Lief suborns his ambitions to help Aerious. Only after Aerious releases him will Lief be able to advance himself as duke.

We start with a fight. Leif and Black see Daniel Bronzewing being beaten by a Grim. Leif charges in with his short sword. Black knocks an arrow and takes aim. Leif fought valiantly, but couldn’t score a hit. After his third wound, Leif sort of freaked out as Black let loose an arrow that hit the Grim in the eye. Black and Leif strip the armor from the Grim. Then the three men all head back to the hunting lodge.

Back at the lodge, Tom, Aerious and Jim try to find information in Lord Tim’s ledger. Aerious prays for guidance.